Jump to content

2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2008 NCAA Division I FCS season
Regular season
Number of teams125
DurationAugust 28 – November 22
Payton AwardArmanti Edwards[1]
Buchanan AwardGreg Peach[2]
Playoff
DurationNovember 29 – December 19
Championship dateDecember 19, 2008
Championship siteFinley Stadium
Chattanooga, Tennessee
ChampionRichmond
NCAA Division I FCS football seasons

The 2008 NCAA Division I FCS football season, the 2008 season of college football for teams in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), began on August 28, 2008, and concluded on December 19, 2008, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, at the 2008 NCAA Division I Football Championship Game, where the Richmond Spiders defeated the Montana Grizzlies to win the NCAA Division I Football Championship.[3]

This was the first season in which a standard provision of NCAA rules allowed FCS teams to schedule 12 regular-season games (not counting conference championship games). In years when the period starting with the Thursday before Labor Day and ending with the final Saturday in November contains 14 Saturdays, FCS programs may play 12 games instead of the regular 11.

FCS team wins over FBS teams

[edit]

August 30 – Cal Poly 29, San Diego State 27
September 6 – New Hampshire 28, Army 10

Notable upsets

[edit]

Conference changes and new programs

[edit]
School 2007 Conference 2008 Conference
Bryant Northeast-10 (D-II) FCS Independent
Campbell New Program Pioneer
Duquesne MAAC NEC
Iona FCS Independent
La Salle Dropped Program
Marist FCS Independent
North Carolina Central D-II Independent
North Dakota North Central (D-II) Great West (FCS)
North Dakota State Great West MVFC
Presbyterian FCS Independent Big South
Samford Ohio Valley SoCon
South Dakota North Central (D-II) Great West (FCS)
South Dakota State Great West MVFC
Stony Brook FCS Independent Big South
Western Kentucky FBS Independent

Conference standings

[edit]
2008 Big Sky Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 2 Montana $^   7 1     14 2  
No. 7 Weber State $^   7 1     10 4  
Montana State   5 3     7 5  
Eastern Washington   5 3     6 5  
Northern Arizona   4 4     6 5  
Sacramento State   3 5     6 6  
Portland State   3 5     4 7  
Northern Colorado   1 7     1 10  
Idaho State   1 7     1 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Big South Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 14 Liberty $   5 0     10 2  
Stony Brook   3 2     5 6  
Charleston Southern   3 2     7 5  
Gardner–Webb   2 3     5 6  
Coastal Carolina   1 4     6 6  
VMI   1 4     4 7  
Presbyterian   1 4     4 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Colonial Athletic Association football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
North Division
No. 8 New Hampshire x^   6 2     10 3  
No. 18 Maine ^   5 3     8 5  
UMass   4 4     7 5  
Hofstra   2 6     4 8  
Rhode Island   1 7     3 9  
Northeastern   1 7     2 10  
South Division
No. 3 James Madison x$^   8 0     12 2  
No. 6 Villanova ^   7 1     10 3  
No. 1 Richmond ^   6 2     13 3  
No. 20 William & Mary   5 3     7 4  
Delaware   2 6     4 8  
Towson   1 7     3 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Great West Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 10 Cal Poly $^   3 0     8 3  
UC Davis   2 1     5 7  
North Dakota   1 2     6 4  
South Dakota   1 2     6 5  
Southern Utah   1 3     4 7  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Ivy League football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 15 Harvard +   6 1     9 1  
Brown +   6 1     7 3  
Penn   5 2     6 4  
Yale   4 3     6 4  
Princeton   3 4     4 6  
Cornell   2 5     4 6  
Columbia   2 5     2 8  
Dartmouth   0 7     0 10  
  • + – Conference co-champions
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 13 South Carolina State $^   8 0     10 2  
Florida A&M   5 3     9 3  
Bethune–Cookman   5 3     8 3  
Hampton   5 3     6 5  
Delaware State   5 3     5 6  
Morgan State   4 4     6 6  
Norfolk State   3 5     5 7  
North Carolina A&T   1 7     3 9  
Howard   0 8     1 10  
Winston-Salem State *   0 0     3 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for conference championship
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Missouri Valley Football Conference standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 4 Northern Iowa +^   7 1     12 3  
No. 11 Southern Illinois +^   7 1     9 3  
South Dakota State   6 2     7 5  
Western Illinois   4 4     6 5  
North Dakota State   4 4     6 5  
Missouri State   3 5     4 7  
Youngstown State   3 5     4 8  
Illinois State   2 6     3 8  
Indiana State   0 8     0 12  
  • + – Conference co-champions
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Northeast Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Albany $   7 0     9 3  
Monmouth   6 1     7 5  
Sacred Heart   4 3     8 3  
Central Connecticut State   4 3     7 4  
Robert Morris   4 3     5 6  
Duquesne   2 5     3 7  
Wagner   1 6     3 8  
Saint Francis (PA)   0 7     0 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
2008 Ohio Valley Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 19 Eastern Kentucky $^   7 1     8 4  
Jacksonville State   6 2     8 3  
Tennessee–Martin   6 2     8 4  
Tennessee State   5 3     8 4  
Murray State   4 4     5 7  
Eastern Illinois   3 5     5 7  
Southeast Missouri State   2 6     4 8  
Austin Peay   2 6     2 9  
Tennessee Tech   1 7     3 9  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Patriot League football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 16 Colgate $^   5 0     9 3  
Holy Cross   5 1     7 4  
Lehigh   4 2     5 6  
Lafayette   3 3     7 4  
Bucknell   2 4     5 6  
Fordham   1 5     5 6  
Georgetown   0 5     2 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Pioneer Football League standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Jacksonville $   7 1     9 4  
San Diego   6 2     9 2  
Dayton   6 2     9 3  
Butler   4 4     6 5  
Drake   4 4     6 5  
Morehead State   4 4     6 6  
Davidson   3 5     4 7  
Valparaiso   2 6     3 8  
Campbell   0 8     1 10  
  • $ – Conference champion
2008 Southern Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 5 Appalachian State $^   8 0     11 3  
No. 9 Wofford ^   7 1     9 3  
No. 17 Elon   6 2     8 4  
Furman   4 4     7 5  
Samford   4 4     6 5  
Georgia Southern   4 4     6 5  
The Citadel   2 6     4 8  
Western Carolina   1 7     3 9  
Chattanooga   0 8     1 11  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
Rankings from The Sports Network FCS Poll
2008 Southland Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
No. 12 Central Arkansas* $   6 1     10 2  
No. 22 Texas State ^   5 2     8 5  
McNeese State   4 3     7 3  
Northwestern State   4 3     7 5  
Nicholls State   3 4     3 6  
Southeastern Louisiana   2 5     5 7  
Sam Houston State   2 5     4 6  
Stephen F. Austin   2 5     4 8  
  • $ – Conference champion
  • ^ – FCS playoff participant
  • * – Ineligible for postseason play due to transition from NCAA Division II
Rankings from The Sports Network poll
2008 Southwestern Athletic Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Jackson State xy   6 1     7 5  
Alabama A&M   4 3     5 7  
Alabama State   2 5     3 8  
Mississippi Valley State   1 6     3 8  
Alcorn State   1 6     2 10  
West Division
Grambling State xy$   7 0     11 2  
Prairie View A&M   6 1     9 1  
Southern   5 2     6 5  
Arkansas–Pine Bluff   2 5     3 9  
Texas Southern   1 6     4 8  
Championship: Grambling State 41, Jackson State 9
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions
  • y – Championship game participant
2008 NCAA Division I FCS independents football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
Bryant       7 4  
Savannah State       5 7  
Marist       4 7  
North Carolina Central       4 7  
Iona       3 8  

Conference champions

[edit]

Automatic berths

[edit]
Conference Champion Record*
Big Sky Conference Montana 11–0, 8–0
Colonial Athletic Association James Madison 10–1, 8–0
Missouri Valley Football Conference Southern Illinois 9–2, 7–1
Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference South Carolina State 10–2, 8–0
Ohio Valley Conference Eastern Kentucky 8–3, 7–1
Patriot League Colgate 9–2, 5–0
Southern Conference Appalachian State 10–2, 8–0
Southland Conference Texas State 8–4, 5–2

Invitation

[edit]
Conference Champion Record*
Great West Conference Cal Poly 8–2, 3–0
Big South Conference Liberty 10–2, 5–0
Northeast Conference Albany 8–3, 7–0
Pioneer Football League Jacksonville 9–3, 7–1

Abstains

[edit]
Conference Champion Record*
Ivy League Brown 7–3, 6–1
Southwestern Athletic Conference Grambling State 11–2, 7–0

*Overall record, Conference record

Postseason

[edit]

NCAA Division I playoff bracket

[edit]
First Round[4]
November 29
Campus sites
Quarterfinals
December 6
Campus sites
Semifinals
December 12 and December 13
Campus sites
National Championship Game

December 19
Finley Stadium
Chattanooga, Tennessee

            
Wofford 35
1 James Madison* 38
1 James Madison* 31
Villanova 27
Colgate 28
Villanova* 55
1 James Madison* 27
4 Montana 35
Texas State 13
4 Montana* 31
4 Montana* 24
Weber State 13
Weber State 49
Cal Poly* 35
4 Montana 7
7 Richmond 24
South Carolina State 21
2 Appalachian State* 37
2 Appalachian State* 13
Richmond 33
Eastern Kentucky 10
Richmond* 38
Richmond 21
3 Northern Iowa* 20
Maine 15
3 Northern Iowa* 40
3 Northern Iowa* 36
New Hampshire 34
New Hampshire 29
Southern Illinois* 20

* Host institution

Date Location Venue West Div. Champion East Div. Champion Result
December 13 Birmingham, Alabama Legion Field Grambling State Jackson State Grambling State, 41–9[5]

Gridiron Classic

[edit]

The Gridiron Classic is an annual game between the champions of the Northeast Conference and the Pioneer Football League that has been held since December 2006.

Date Location Venue NEC Champion PFL Champion Result
December 6 Albany, New York University Field Albany Jacksonville Albany, 28–0[6]

Final poll standings

[edit]

Standings are from The Sports Network final 2008 poll.

Rank[7] Team Record
1 Richmond Spiders 13–3
2 Montana Grizzlies 14–2
3 James Madison Dukes 12–2
4 Northern Iowa Panthers 12–3
5 Appalachian State Mountaineers 11–3
6 Villanova Wildcats 10–3
7 Weber State Wildcats 10–4
8 New Hampshire Wildcats 10–3
9 Wofford Terriers 9–3
10 Cal Poly Mustangs 8–3
11 Southern Illinois Salukis 9–3
12 Central Arkansas Bears 10–2
13 South Carolina State Bulldogs 10–3
14 Liberty Flames 10–2
15 Harvard Crimson 9–1
16 Colgate Raiders 9–3
17 Elon Phoenix 8–4
18 Maine Black Bears 8–5
19 Eastern Kentucky Colonels 8–4
20 William & Mary Tribe 7–4
21 McNeese State Cowboys 7–4
22 Texas State Bobcats 8–5
23 Jacksonville State Gamecocks 8–3
24 Grambling State Tigers 11–2
25 Prairie View A&M Panthers 9–1

Rule changes for 2008

[edit]

The NCAA football rules committee made several rule changes for 2008, and includes the following:[8][9]

  • The 25-second play clock was replaced by a 40-second version similar to one that was used in the NFL until 2005.
  • The penalty for kicking the ball out of bounds on the kickoff is increased, placing the ball at the 40-yard line, similar to the NFL.
  • All face-mask penalties result in a 15-yard penalty. Incidental contact with the face mask is no longer penalized.
  • All horse-collar tackles are now subject to a 15-yard penalty.
  • If a coach challenges a play and they win the challenge, they are given a second challenge to use later in the game, and each coach has a maximum of two challenges per game even if both are decided in their favor.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Armanti Edwards wins 2008 Walter Payton Award". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  2. ^ "Greg Peach captures 2008 Buck Buchanan Award". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on April 4, 2011. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  3. ^ Associated Press (December 19, 2008). "Richmond cruises to first football title". ESPN. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  4. ^ "2008 Playoff Bracket". NCAA. Archived from the original on November 27, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2008.
  5. ^ Associated Press (December 13, 2008). "Grambling St. 41, Jackson St. 9". ESPN. Archived from the original on September 26, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  6. ^ Associated Press (December 6, 2008). "Albany, N.Y. 28, Jacksonville 0". ESPN. Archived from the original on July 17, 2012. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  7. ^ "Final Sports Network's 2008 FCS College Football Poll". The Sports Network. Archived from the original on May 25, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2009.
  8. ^ "NCAA Football Rules Committee Proposes Rules to Enhance Student-Athlete Safety and Encourage Consistent Pace of Play" (Press release). NCAA. February 13, 2008. Archived from the original on December 23, 2008. Retrieved December 20, 2008.
  9. ^ Olin Buchanan (February 13, 2008). "More new timing rules among NCAA proposal". Rivals. Archived from the original on February 15, 2008. Retrieved February 13, 2008.